


messed up kids who taught ourselves how to live

by wlwrwby



Category: RWBY
Genre: Child Soldiers, Found Family, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, no beta we die like redheads in rwby, ren and ruby friendship is so important to me, these kids need therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29951025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wlwrwby/pseuds/wlwrwby
Summary: Wars were not meant to last centuries. Gods were supposed to be kind. Children were not supposed to be soldiers.(In which Ren sees Ruby’s emotions and sits her down for a talk.)
Relationships: Lie Ren & Ruby Rose
Comments: 17
Kudos: 124





	messed up kids who taught ourselves how to live

**Author's Note:**

> idk when this would take place but let's say it's some time after v8ch10

“Ruby? Can I talk to you?” 

The leader looked up from her perch on a couch in what she had thought was a room where no one would bother her long enough for her to get herself together. Her reddened eyes were immediately concerned at his question. If Ren was asking to speak to her, it must be bad. Her problems could wait. 

“Of course.” With worried eyes, she patted the seat next to her. Ren took her invitation. 

Once the two of them were settled, Ruby turned to him. “Ren? What’s wrong?” 

At the question, his usually neutral face turned pained. His eyes narrowed the slightest bit as if searching for something, then widened when he apparently found an answer he didn’t quite want. His hands clenched in his lap as if they weren’t quite sure where to be or what to do. 

After a moment, Ren looked her in the eyes that had sealed her fate from the day she was born, and said the words Ruby hadn’t brought herself to accept ever since Beacon. 

“Ruby. I know you’re not okay.” 

If it had been anyone else, they wouldn’t have noticed the way Ruby’s mask faltered before she laughed if off with a smile and an incredulous “Of course I am!” But Ren noticed. He saw the way green petals of fear joined the already-present gray after his question and didn’t retreat. And it scared him. How many times had she hidden behind this cheerful facade as the cracks only deepened within her and the rest of them were none the wiser? How long had she been suffering in silence? 

Ren only raised his eyebrows in response. Ruby shuffled in her seat. A few moments passed, each of them daring the other to say that they were wrong. 

“I’m assuming no one’s told you about my semblance evolving yet.” Ren’s remark was almost casual as he studied Ruby’s reaction. Her eyes widened a bit, more in apprehension than curiosity. 

“Your semblance evolved? That’s amazing, Ren! That’s super cool, I’m sure it took a lot of growth to improve your semblance-” 

“It allows me to see emotions,” Ren effortlessly interrupted Ruby’s rambling before she could even attempt to take the attention away from her. He watched as her expression faltered and she fumbled for a neutral response. 

“...That’s interesting.” 

“Mhm.” When it was clear it was up to him to continue the conversation, Ren pressed on. “So when I say you’re not okay, Ruby, I know it for a fact.” 

His voice was stern, not allowing her to deny his claims, but gentle. He looked once more at the petals and was taken aback by the sheer _amount_ of pain and fear and doubt. They didn’t just surround her, they _clung_ to her as if they had always been one with her. 

“And from what I can tell, you haven’t been for a long time.” 

With that simple statement that Ruby herself hadn’t dared to admit for as long as she lived, she broke. She descended into tears, silent at first, and Ren wondered how long it had taken her to master the art of silent pain. He wondered how long they had all slept while she wept. Wordlessly, he opened his arms and held her close. 

He traced soothing patterns into her back as her body wracked with sobs, rocking them back and forth as he pushed back his own tears. He silently cursed the gods and magic and Salem herself and anything and anyone who had placed so much on someone so young. He wanted to end this war if only because it meant those he loved would be free. 

But for now, he held Ruby as she cried. For now, he reasoned, that was all he could do. And he would gladly stay like this for as long as she needed. 

When time had passed and the room was no longer filled with cries, Ren came to a decision. 

“Ruby, I know you’re not used to opening up. I’m not either. So I’m going to tell you something.” 

At that, she looked up, but didn’t let go. He took it as a sign to continue. 

“I’ve never told anyone this before,” he began, laughing softly at the skeptical look she gave him. “No, not even Nora.” 

Ruby’s eyes widened at the weight of the secret she was about to be entrusted with. Ren took a deep breath and prepared himself.  
  
“I never wanted to be a Huntsman. I never wanted to be here, to fight in battles each day and not know if I would live to see the next, to fight on the front lines of a war for humanity. I never once wished for any of this.” 

Ruby sat up a bit and wiped the remnants of tears from her face. “So why did you do it,” she asked softly.  


An infinitely soft smile graced Ren’s lips. 

“Nora. She’s my reason for a lot of things, I suppose. She wanted nothing more than to be a Huntress. And where she goes, I go. That’s how we survived by ourselves all this time. So we became warriors together.” 

Ruby remembered his demeanor ever since they had gotten to Atlas. “Do you regret it?” 

To his credit, Ren didn’t hesitate before giving his answer. 

“I thought I did. But now, I realize that this is where I’m supposed to be. Here, with my family, fighting for all that is good.” He smiled and glanced back at her. 

“And you’re in that family, Ruby. And I’m worried about you, and I want to help. So please. Let us help you.” 

He held her gaze, unwavering. She knew he wouldn’t give up. 

With a weary sigh, she leaned back into his side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and waited patiently. 

“We killed the Hound,” she began, to which Ren gave her a nod. “It was a person, Ren.” 

Her voice began to break under the weight of it all. Atlas, she became, entrusted with the weight of the world. 

“He had silver eyes.” 

With those words, Ren stilled. He stopped the soothing motions he had been rubbing on her shoulder, his breath froze in his throat, his blood turned to ice. Ruby’s voice had been defeated...resigned. As if she had accepted what she would become. 

Because if Ren knew the implications, if he knew that Salem was stealing silver-eyed warriors and torturing them, making them into _monsters_...then Ruby surely knew as well. But before he could vow to never let that witch near her, before he could shower her in reassurances that they would never let it happen, Ruby continued. 

“I’m seventeen. I’m seventeen and I’m being hunted for my eyes, I saw two of my friends die before my eyes, I’m on the front lines of an impossible war and I’m supposed to lead you all. I’m supposed to have all the answers. But I’m seventeen, Ren. And I’m scared.” 

Ren knew that that wasn’t all that was haunting her. Because the world was cruel and for some reason it had chosen Ruby Rose as its victim time and time again. But for now, he pulled her close and held her as she cried. For now, he let himself believe that he and everyone else in their family could protect her and make it out of this war alive. For now, he pretended he knew all the answers. 

He sometimes wondered if they had gotten in too deep. Perhaps they had built their own wings and taken a leap of faith only to fly too close to the sun and fall for infinity. 

But then he remembered Pyrrha. Pyrrha, who had flown and fell and would do so until the end of time if it meant protecting people. He remembered his team, his family, who flew alongside him. 

And he decided that for them, he would be willing to fall as many times as it took. Because they would get up again and again until it all was won. 

But for now, they didn’t need to fly. For now, for just a while more, they could pretend that they weren’t two kids fighting in a war and hoping to live another day. 

“You are making it out of this alive. I swear.” 

A hopeless promise, some might say it was. 

But Lie Ren believed in hope. 

So he promised, and Ruby allowed herself to believe. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I love the potential for friendship between these two, so this was super fun to write. 
> 
> Comments are basically fuel for me, so feel free to leave a comment or kudos before you leave. And if you want to see me scream about elsewhere, my twitter is @wlwrwby. Once again, thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you have a lovely day!<33


End file.
